Tom Garrett and House GOP Promise to Keep Being the Gridlock & Obstruction Party

From the DCCC:

Tom Garrett and House GOP Promise to Keep Being the Gridlock & Obstruction Party

Donald Trump has truly tanked, with national poll after national poll showing that he will lose the presidential race. True to form, being the political calculators that they are, Tom Garrett and House Republicans are expected to pivot to a new and desperate closing argument: that they will be a check and balance on our next president, now widely expected to be Secretary Clinton.

This might sound appealing to some swing voters at first blush, but House Democrats will label this what it is: a promise of more Republican obstruction in Washington. And remember, voters hate the obstruction and gridlock that Republicans have perpetrated over the last eight years on important policy issues.

New DCCC polling shows that as Republicans try to distract from Donald Trump, and instead promise a “check on Clinton,”  voters won’t like it or buy it. Republicans have become synonymous with obstruction and gridlock, thanks to their work shutting down the government, bringing America to the brink of a historic debt default, and repeatedly blocking legislation like that to close the terror gun loophole.

A national battlefield poll conducted by Global Strategy Group makes clear that likely voters want a Congress that works:

• 50% of voters prefer a Democrat that will work with President Clinton to get things done.
• 40% for Republicans who will oppose Clinton’s programs and try to block her progress.

“To the House Republicans who betray their Trump-loving base and start discussing congressional relations with a President Hillary Clinton – bring it on. Not only is this new message coming too late in the game to be credible, it will betray to voters that Tom Garrett and House Republicans are giving up on Donald Trump and planning to continue their long tradition of obstruction should they keep control of Congress,” said Jermaine House of the DCCC.  

Wonder why voters will translate House Republicans’ message as one of obstruction?  Take a look at Jane Dittmar’s new ad “Brag,” where Tom Garrett brags about voting against education and transportation. And see Garrett’s record of obstruction:

Garrett Only Senator to Vote Against 2015 Budget Amendment That Increased Education Funding And Provided Pay Raises For Teachers. On Feb. 26, 2015, Tom Garrett was the only senator to vote against HB 1400. “Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe is praising the Republican-controlled General Assembly for approving state budget amendments that will increase funding for education and provide pay raises for teachers, state troopers and other government employees.” [HB 1400, 2/26/15; Ashburn Patch, 2/27/15]

2014: Garrett Lone Vote against Special Session Budget. On Nov. 10, 2014, the Virginia Senate PASSED (38-1) HB 5010, the 2014 special session budget bill. Garrett voted against the bill. [HB 5010, 11/10/14]

Special Session Budget Increased Direct Aid To Public Education Budget By $28.1 Million And Appropriated $15 Million In Literary Funds. “HB 5010 increases the appropriation of Lottery proceeds in the Direct Aid to Public Education budget by $28.1 million and the appropriation of Literary Funds by $15 million for fiscal year 2015, while decreasing general fund appropriations by the same total amount ($43.1 million) for fiscal year 2015. The increased fiscal year 2015 Lottery proceeds will be used to fund Textbooks (increases Lottery funding for Textbooks by $26,200,288 so that Textbooks are now entirely Lottery funded for fiscal year 2015) and Remedial Summer School ($1,899,712 of the Remedial Summer School account is funded with Lottery proceeds so that this account is now split-funded between Lottery and the general fund for fiscal year 2015).  The increased Literary Fund appropriation will be used for the payment of teacher retirement costs in lieu of general funds.” [Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education, 11/21/14]

National

Politico: “Time And Again Since 2010, [House GOP] Attempts At Legislating Have Devolved Into Chaos.” [Politico,7/9/15]

Headline: TIME: “The Party Of No.” [Time, 9/03/12]

New York Times Editorial: In The House, A Refusal To Govern. [NYT Editorial, 7/11/13]

Headline: FOX News: “Congressional agenda for 2016 has basically disappeared.” [FOX News, 2/25/16]

FOX News: “Congress May Wind Up Doing Practically Nothing.” “And numbers can tell you a lot about the 114th Congress. Perhaps one number in particular. A digit that’s likely to be close to zero. Despite all sorts of things to do on Capitol Hill this year and big expectations with a Republican majority in the Senate and new House Speaker Paul Ryan, Congress may wind up doing practically nothing. Lawmakers will sure exert themselves on a range of issues. But many major legislative initiatives appear destined for hollow outcomes.” [FOX News, 2/25/16]

Headline: AP: “Bold promises, but thin agenda so far for Ryan-led House.” [AP, 3/3/16]

Headline: Politico: “Congress setting new bar for doing nothing.” [Politico, 3/21/16]

Politico: “Call It The Seinfeld Congress — All About Nothing.” [Politico, 3/21/16]

Headline: Huffington Post: “Will This Be The Most Do-Nothing Year Of A Staunchly Unproductive Congress?”[Huffington Post, 4/29/16]